Top 10 Unexpected Ways You’re Hurting The Environment At Home

3. Feminine Hygiene Products

Feminine hygiene products pose multiple dangers to your health and to the environment.

Founder of Naturally Savvy, Andrea Donsky, conducted extensive research into these commonly used female products and published her findings in a 2013 article titled, Conventional Feminine Hygiene Products: A Women’s Issue With Toxic Implications.

According to her research, each conventional sanitary pad contained the equivalent of about four plastic bags. Numerous studies have revealed the hazards of plastic chemicals, including substances like BPA which can disrupt embryonic development and increase the risk of several types of cancers. Phthalates, which is what gives a plastic tampon applicator a smooth feel, have been associated with dysregulate gene expression and DEHP, which can lead to multiple organ damage. Plastic and other synthethic materials also restrict the flow of air, trapping heat and dampness, potentially promoting yeast and bacteria growth in the vaginal area.

Not surprisingly, there are not only a lot of dangers to your body, but to the environment as well. Over a lifetime, women use thousands of sanitary care products. All those pesticides and plastic chemical compounds are also leached into the environment. If just one conventional sanitary pad is equal to four plastic bags – and we already know the detrimental effects they have, just imagine how much just one person is contributing to the devastation of our environment?

That doesn’t mean giving up hygiene, just be sure to look for organic, cloth pads made with cotton, hemp or even bamboo, and for heavier days, or when you’re especially active and find that a pad won’t work, look for a reusable menstrual cup made with natural, non-toxic materials such as gum rubber.